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Treasure Island’s first residents were the Timucuan Indians, whose first settlements date back over 1,700 years. The Spanish explorers came to this Gulf Coast Island in 1528 and forced the Indians to flee. The island stayed mostly unoccupied until the 18th century, when pirates and smugglers found safety along the remote coastline. Settlers, too, started to discover the island, and by the late 19th century, several small communities had been founded. In 1908, the state of Florida sold the island to Thomas F. Pierce for $1.25 per acre.

First Settlers

The Timucuan Indians had resided on what is today known as Treasure Island and the long strip of nearby barrier islands since the fourth century. They were a peaceful people and had numerous communities on the island, trading goods with neighboring tribes. They raised corn and beans, which were a major part of their diet. Ponce de Leon arrived followed by Panfilo de Narvaez, and between them, spurred on by their quest for the Fountain of Youth and the promise of gold, nearly decimated the indigenous Indian tribes.

Pirates and Smugglers

Treasure Island’s Indian population had scattered, leaving the island nearly deserted, the perfect hiding place for the numerous pirates and smugglers who plied their trade in and around the Gulf of Mexico. In the 1700s, small villages started to crop up, and by the 1800s, settlers from Georgia and the Carolinas had established communities along the shoreline. By then, the pirates and many but not all of the smugglers had abandoned the area.

Treasure Island’s First Owner

The state of Florida put the island up for sale, and in 1908, Thomas F Pierce was deeded ownership of the island for the price of $1.25 per acre. Then in 1915, the first hotel was built by Whiteford Smith Harrell. The 25-room Coney Island Hotel was a success ferrying tourist from the mainland on Harrell’s own boat called “Don”. Other developers came, and the push was on to turn the island into a tourist destination.

Where Did That Name Come From?

History is somewhat vague about this fact. The consensus is that in the early 20th century, somewhere along the road to development, a group of property owners got the idea to spread the word that pirate’s treasure had been found on the island.

Connecting to the Mainland

The large spurt of development came in 1939 with the Treasure Island Causeway Bridge. The bridge was advertised as “The Best Constructed Bridge in Florida,” and with its easy access by the automobile, the island flourished. After World War II, the pace of development increased with more hotels and then came the boom in residential developments. In 1955, the island’s varied communities consolidated to form what is present day Treasure Island, which today boasts a full-time population of more than 5,000 people, 7,500 seasonal residents and 3 miles of wide sandy beaches

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About the Author

Michael Suib has written several hundred articles since 1999 appearing in the "Miami Herald" and the "Key West Citizen." Suib is an award-winning poet, the author of "Confessions of a Key West Cabby," and "The River of Duval," and is the co-author of "Meditation Express: Stress Relief in 60 Seconds Flat" (a Book Of The Month Club selection).

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